The Sun. — London, England, 1864-01-15 00:00:00

oNEy MARKE T AND COAIXERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, TWELVE O'CLO C K. A very fair demand for monetary accommodation Is reported to-day in discount circles, and it has bee n s upplied on terms ranging from 61 to 6-1 per sent. for th e b est commercial bills. The available sal are only moderat e ly l arge, b u t t h ey are "e for all the requirements of the mercantile e"atan nitY. The market appears a little easier, a nd the brokers show more willingness to t ransac t iness than for the past few days. The alterations which appear in the weekly re turn of the Bank a England to Wednesday last ars nces im p o rtant, but th ey are partly due to circum ofsta peculiar at this time of the year, such as s dis tribution o f t h e dividends and the repayment „, ina ns. The O t h er Securities and the Govern ent be posits c onsequently show a decrease, while the private balances have been largely augmented. wi ng to th e large demand for gold to the Con one., "‘ and the East, the stock of bullion shows i re ductio n of nearly half a million. Subjoined are the Particulars Active Circulation 520,763,495 Increase• 45,235 13ullion • • • • :: 13,708,597 ReDecrease • • • • • • • 488,157 st • • • Posits 3 , 365,861 Public Increase • • • • 59,045 osit; • • 5 264 097 iiecrease • • • Other Deposits:: •••• 2,359,190 15,411,794 seven lncase .. • • • • 2,35?•919205 Day and other Bills .. • • 6N'BBl Increase .. • • " °verntnent Securities. • • 11,077,189 Increase 120,000 20,555,386 uti4er Bec4ritie.s. 1 877 377 Irc4""se " " " 6 ' 927 ' 185 bp D 8 'U nemployed .. • . / 578 : Decrease *. " 815 uri ng the last few days there has been very little enlB-rl4s transacted in the markets for foreign and filipa),,al Produce. Sugars have sold slowly, at h it ; 'l,ll reduced prices. For coffee, however, there frni t ' san a fair inquiry, at full rates, while tea, rice, iin on " `in d spices have remained without change of son't:hrt4nee. Business in the tallow market has for very quiet, at about former quotations °Lu present and forward delivery. det er ,Western Life Assurance Association have 844:lined to extend their operations to fire in bolnit-es' a nd the prospectus will be found in another N avin The Western possesses the advantage of egeni° alr eady a very numerous body of active th e in ' a nd thu s b us i ness will be commenced under d on, :.tnfO s urable auspices. The share appli ca ay nln r those f se to-morrow for London, and on Mon from the country. Two o'CLocK. il:4tktetbs Two Bourse to-day (according to M r . 0 6f • Bn r'e telegrain) the 3 per Cent. Rentes were T hl4 e- 66 f. 65 e , Steady cot,,Til The lti k of Fr ance return f or the past month, oha n ' t . ete d to yesterday, exhibits the following of ,i: 8 ''s-An increase of £4,560,000 in discounts; otir-'310,000 in Banknotes ; and £220,000 in bttlilleallt accounts. Also a decrease of £1,765,000 in la th l-11 „;, ‘ ef £504,000 in advances ; and of 1405,0 I‘Zo e Ireas ury balances. tai t , t the slightest movement of importance has bat °n Co,):lPlace to-day in the English Stock market, , the whole a little firmer tone is manifested. d 1) 11 '° 1 8 for transfer remain at 901, i for money, an d itr: t h ? the account. The New Threes and Reduce 41 . d 4 --11t , 96 ! i; and Exchequer Bonds are par to 1 06 1 1' - , ndia 5 per Cents. have been dealt in at kn 4 r . Market e business has been negotiated in the Foreign lkl e . to.d ay, and prices are generally higher. Co ti lle all are at an advance, being 35! a ; Turkish i Gre e k B°licle e have improved to 46i 471, a rise of r ,,, e ; mai n a re also higher at 231 241; the Coupons re- 4 ' a itt 1 " 11 1 ; and Spanish Passive ir i t t e k e , li med. to 34k 4 ', a rise of about ; ; and the Ce_t e eotf,eB also exhibit an advance of -1, at 13 p1 - i- The of s-h.eclerate Loan has reached 44 46, in consequence lecoulation for a rise. till il d th e Railway Share Market business has con- Ortiet-jerY inactive, but a firmer tone prevails, a ell e ' : "tern and Great Western have advanced 1 0 8 ) , -retit Northern A Stock and North Western, Eastern; and Metropolitan, 155.; Midland and North hol y3e r wic k), however have declined ss. !ery i nae ° t r .'ln and Colonial undertakings remain Ric ea. l ye, and exhibit no material alteration in Bank and • e lan .4 ..Arlseellaneous shares are in several in likve "I- slight:3,- enhanced rates. Oriental Bank 4'4'. irtiP"ed to 61 ; Hindustan, China, and 1 Pan to 33 3 51. ilre tu; Au • i Mauritius Credit are quoted 11 1N,,, strcian Shipping Company, 2 to 2i (ittc, 'National Shipping Company, 1 to 11 prem. ; -Anglo Italian Bank, li, 11 prem. (I, r 11 ITISH 13, Z 411), FUNDS —ONE O'CLOCK. E4T 0 : r :17 1 : b . . 8. . . 9O! 91 Nwl,er.olletied,.ll.oed .. .. pe r sot APtt d Per c, m4 . l '' ' T an. 1891 kt - ' 4 l -• .Annuities eB,unt 30 unities, Jan. 1873,3 bi t ',° for a n Yrs, expire sth Jan 1880 (R. Y r s, ex • - th A "1 ed : pre „celegjaph), Aug, 1908, '?„. p er lB7o .... ;,)!tte Cent. nt. 1888 `' .l r.il e •uitt o ditt o April, 1864 41.4,4 ittq Aug. 1864 or 66 — l;, tto *, (1 4,1 ,000, 21 & 3 per Cent. p ar 4 di e £5OO 14144'14$1Ettia St £lOO and £2OO rt l4 1.4 per Ct., last hf.-yr, 237 1/ t k Q/E/ t=cm bit t o , 1871 • ENT ....ECURITIES. Ditto 6 t o p4T .. liDer july , 1570 1061 I t C ent 188' 100 L ino A "Listqtto Der e aper, 4 per Cent t b o e_b ientl e x T e . B , 4 Jan. 1872 •• • • 704 rt0, 4 ,,.: 3 :1a xd5 ,j ,, Per Ct., Aug 1866. 99a 8t F r ,El3o,\'y par bi t ll4 4 D ate , te. 1 8 Der c b--ONE O'CLOCK. Itte' 39 e tit ... 4i and 1869 it to 1 3j e t i to e ettt. s; •• " ... )_••,52-53-•60 .. ' e riD 01„ ki A 18G 1 1863 ( 4z4". 411 )i t1 j t :3 6 44 5 paid „ 1 . , 81° C ent IlEi nt pbt r 'ertp 4 5 , .. 'ent. pd , 1` ... ,t 14 1,41. 4 cut, - ) ,Ilto' a pii4er sent ......... '0tt,,,,.•:; 2i peelit. Ditto New ( ''en " 1 , 5 z• 12 Guilders u itte ‘a 7 itluated. per Cent — Tit,' -'reek 2 %tt 'l. ( 0 „,' 14 / 1 6 Warrant t Pet t " ... 4, c _ er lt., I ttO A 6 , ex-Coupons 23k 4 k t l : l 4l . .t eta ,oc oktt , ....... 1 4, nti l B ‘'it ' l , ) t . ie ‘4 l?,er „ .0 Itto 4 Der ,±E.(Aia_jl; Noij e. Ace ° , Uent r lulana Railway) N. N g • ...... 35k bi ' l '44 ** jai ........ b i ttf) 2 - Per (3 . "' " tt oh pe r „• •.. .. Cent, ° t ti ` 9 ........... I),,tne he 3 DittoAe per arrant (Hectare ) 3 ` ;e4 t., 1853 8 !tto Per e e .......... . , 47f t • ")'!sl4itto 13 ',,erip , ...... I) 9 , '6O, 62,'3 47f L tt) Per e;'' Paid, ......... b t!t t , lB itt o Per Ce ll tl t t' l l B B ,s 2 o i, . .. 8-6 i pm p e , ce 186 r, per C en t' 1 '14' 4 6 ...... 1 4 , 4 „. 4. p er e 6 2 ateo44t.erit I,tt q Per ce e _ • j •pt to ..... • r l) l 4° • ............. ift A ccede„ erred , . s th . iv, • •,,. ........... to;t4ii 104, c4z,,11 . t , :1; ?I ‘v C ert ' f '• • Per •., ... acted 4 .)i :to A I , er ... b r to 'ent. 18, ........ lltt ant, - 14 ll tqf. „lt, ot, per ' • .......... -() Aceol;'et. £ 100 i ) j i • t to Ptr 13°, 1 , 14 G 4 , e ett • ' • • .............. I )o, 4r4 tte e d 18 63 ............. (;71 aritlt4rea 4 per .......... , I) it t °4 lp, er ,Per c„" Per et ....... p e ; ll o nt .... . 1863 ............... I) 4l ll °lt t Vicl et.t t • o •-• ................ 1j )12 p er ite n Ch..; ................. 55 I fal~ to er e', l l ab Cab ut Payable in Lon.l Liao Ex. ‘,. on. u Pe r ' , 4t. 0 4 ' 12 25f.. •, Aec . e (lit er tificat . nit..... ... I rt, 4 18 , 3 1, ........ 101 a ei °l 4 **• .... - 5 fTance., C7l •tt i) Aro n ... ) ..... A 54 11 t . ... ...... .............. 901 ...... f if P 9i, lirth 'ly i ng for ) be used Than I Wales, Sunday , after the shall re- ghteous ple with ountaiDS by he 5113 " pieces the nd zuoon ow n like Lie eart h ' dance r lomanw ri f ends (.4 iall boy' L ie Dings L ie king° o n. r ;he poor [A re tho • vi ° " • sigth 0i tl 26 ' contill y ►llb° ° intaiD s ' Y of th° ne sb. a ig as tb , h„ 11 eel t . be hia Je tilled kind - Ztectioa unbor n ' „ e dinF; vouGh' ,riDce6s "vell be• 11 , t liert mother be 0 / 'cur t b° a , o -tre°; d flood° 0 , i ,trit sel a nd s of Pk' SHARE MARKETS,---This day, ORDINARY SHARES AND STOO&S. i p a id Clos ing rie Business Share, Railways. • L P • c . , done. Bir., Wol., and Str. Va], 'Blythe and Tyne. Bost.,Sleaf.,andMhWo !Bristol and Exeter !Caledonian !Corti and Bandon Cornwall 8 8i $i 8i 84 66 120 1211 7 74 !D o A A . gets no diN Do. B till fp e.p an.has • been paid to B. !Dublin & Belfast June. ,Dun.,Perth,&Ab. Junc.J !Edinburgh & Glasgow.; IGlusg. and S. Western.! GreatEastcrn, Ord. stkj Ditto A stock ! 37 39 16 17 95 98 107 109 49 50 46 48 7 1 8} Ditto East Anglian st GreatNorthof Scotland Great Northern.. ..... Do A stock Do B do Gt. S. and W. of Ireland Great Western 127 128 132) 1331 134 136 98 100 641 65} et Do Str Val gua. stock St Lancashire & Yorkshire St London and Blaokwal;; st Lon., Bright.,& S. Coast; st Lon., Chat., and Dover; st Lon. & North Western; St Lon. & Scr.th Western; St Man., Shot., & Lincoln. 50 Maryport and Carlisle. 124 Do # 5hare5........ st ; Metropolitan st Midland 6 .4.0 Do New • i . 110 111 72 73 107 109 43 44 106} 1061 101 i 102;1 49 50 107 109 127 i 128 14 lip 97 99 Do Birming. Derby Slid. - Gt. W. Ireland Do. shares --- Mid Kent Do Cray Line North British Edin., Perth, dc Dundee Nth. Eastern—Berwlok Do, G.N.E. purchase Do Leeds Do York Do Carlisle 52} 53i 25 46 1031 103; 59 60 891 90i North London Do New . ..... North Staffordshire N. and S. W. Junction Scottish Central Scot N. E., Aber. 6toci, Do Scot. Mid. stock Shrews. and Welchpool JShropshire Union ' South Devon South Eastern South Wales S. York. and River Dun Staines,Wok.,andWok Stc2kton St Darlington, Do Do New, 1866 'Taff Vale.. Do B Do C Ulster Do Do Vale of Neath Victoria sta. and Pim Waterford & Kilkenny West Cornwall W. Hartlepool Har.Stß West Midland --Oxford Do Newport Do Hereford 123 128 1 2 p 78 70 11 11} 124 126 13 45 98 100 63 64 33 Si 95 tlsa 98 100 10 iO4 8 39 9i 104 u 7 8 158 4 160 p 5 5 i 21 31 p 83 8G 170 175 22 25 BRITISH P Shan 100 Sk stock stock stock 100 stook stook stook stock 20 stook 50 100 Railways Atlantic & St Lawrence Born., Baroda&Cent Ind Gu. S per mit— Do. New . - Do. E. Shares Buffalo and Laxelluiron' Do. Preference Buffalo,Brant,&Godrict, p. et. bds. Aug. 1, 1s7:: Do. do. July 1, 187:-. do. June 1,1 K Clcutta.arS. Eastn. ( I. Cape Town U Dock Seri' Eastn. Bengal gu. S p. East Indian. gu. 5 p. c. Do. do. G Do. do. H do. .. 'Grand Trunk of Canada Do. Ist Pref. Bonds.. Do. do. de'erred...... Do. 2d Pref. Bonds.. Do. do. deferred...... Do. 3d l ef. stock ... ISSE Fwd. all 100 SIONS. Closing Price. 60 (2 104 tis i 1 p i 1 P 6 6} tii 9i 100 100 100 100 100 100 102 104 101 103 IC6i )07 1(5 106 liP 20} 21i stock stock Do. do. &lerreGE::: Do, 4th Pref. store:... Do. do. deferred...... GLlndfarenin.g - ua.sp.c Do. New gua. 5 p. 0... Do. January, 1862 .. Gt. South.ot India (Lim guaranteed 5 per cent. I Gt. W. of Canada Share, 107 I}y' 13 pj Do. New . Do. 6 p.c. '73 with't opt. Do. 54 p. 0. do. '77-8.... Indian Branch Limited Madras guar., 5 p. o. Do. 4f p. c. Extension Dc.4t d 0........ Do. Fifth Extension. Nrelb.Corp. 6 p. o. Buds. Meth. & Hobson's Bay. Do. 7 p. C. Illortg. Bds. Newßrunswick Candu Class A and B. N. l ll.C'da3 po Ist pt bds' &Jude ............ 1)o. Delhi Do. d 0...... Do. l'uniaub Do. Du. Do. Indus. St. Flo.) 74 i 57 59 3 6 82 84 104 105 103 104 03 lul .041 4 100 102 COLONIAL GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. - 41,,,v. 6 p.c.J a ,t,J ui) I 1877-84 100 102 104 102} Do. 6p. C. Feb. & Aug 100 103 ((5 I Do. 6p. c. Mar. & Sept. 100 103 1(5 Do. Fp. o. Jan.&July. 103 01 n Do. 5 Inscribed stock 100 90 92 Cape G.llope, 6p 0,1873 100 106 108 Do.Ap & Oct. 1886 100 109 111 Do. 189( 100 109 111 Do. Jan. & July, 1891. 100 108 110 Ceylon, N0v.1878, 6n c 100 110 112 Mauritius 6 per cent .. 100 104 106 104/ Natal Gov. 6 per cont.. 100 1(.8 110 N.1.3.G0v.6p.0.Ja.&Ju1y 100 102 104 Lo. 6p. o.Ap. & Oct. 100 N. S. W. Gov. 5p 1,18,4 100 99 100 Du. sp. c.,18/1 to E 7( 100 99 100 Do. d0.,1888 &upwds 100 991 1001 - New Zealand 6 p cent. 100 107 109 'Nova Scotia Gov. 6p. c. sterling, 1875. lOO 103 105 Queensland Gcv. 6p. c. 100 109 111 [S. Aus G6p.c.1878.& up.. 100 109 111 - Vio.Gov. 6 p.c. Ja.&July 100 - Do. in An.n. kn-ttnnt.. 100 ° llO 1101 I 1101 t BRITISH MIN ;IS. 2 ;Cambrian Consol. Gold 1 ft id jeliflord Amalgamal: cc i _ 361 171 Devon G. Cons. r:„ ißt ) 1 575 6 85 East Bassett 'illogan) 30 65 67 1 East Clos:;au ' Gold Ltd 53. id Par d East ( 'Atradon ...... 1.11. t, 27 28 26 Ea'':, Carn Brea.... .-.._. WI Russel (Tavlstk ; 8,9.0 41 IS i - Gant&St.Auhyn(Gwen , `..Bi 8 10 IGreat South Tolgus l 7s 4} 41 ;G. Wheal Vor (11eltiton; ' 40 11 13 !Grenville... 0.16. i 46 5 ! Herc.d's-Foot 8.12 27 39 El ingston Downs 4.18.0 21 3} Lady Berths. Margaret (Uny Lelant ifi 1;9 21 I Marke Valley.. 4 Myndy Iron Oro (Lim ; 2i li I 0 New Seton l9l 90 100 - • North Downs 2l 11 11 -- N.Wh'l Baseet (111o4an 3.1.0 2, 3 North Wheal Crotty .. 2.6.9 5} 61 - it'lr Consols (St. Blazey rrovidenee(Uny Lelnt.; 10.8.7 44 46 B outhCaradon(St.Cleer, 1} 425 635 S. Carn Brea (Illogran).. I S.Wheai Fran. (Mogan, 18.1F1.9 571 62/ Stray Park 6 Parnar Silva.: Lead Min 44 1 1 'Gin Croft 9 19 20 West Basset (Illo„, , an) ll 11 12 W Cr radon(Liskeard) 5 20 22 West Seton Wheal Basset (Mogan) 51 85 90 Wheat Buller(ltedruth) 5 20 25 'Wheal Kitty (I.T.Lelant) 2.0.6 - WhealLudcott ...... Wheal iMaryAnn ;Men.) 8 12 121 131 ; Wheat tieton 5Bl 150 160 Wheal Treiawney (Lis , 7 23 24 ;Wheal Union 3.17 3 31 PREFERENCE SHARES AND STOCKS. Great Eastern, 5 per cent., pf., 106 LINES LEASED Al' FIXED RENTALS. London and Chatham, 44 per Cent., Ditto, Com. Fund stock, 5 Der cent., 101 i London, Tilbury, and Southend, 99 FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Turin and Savona, Ditto (all), lik FOREIGN MINES, Cape Copper, Urn., 7t Cobre Copper, 35 JOINT-STOCK BANKS. Agrra and United Service (lint.), 124 An,glo Austrian, 6* Australasia, Ditto, new, 48 9 Rank of Egypt, 26} Bank of Vetoria, Australia, 42 Bank of New Zealand, 131 14 Chartered Bank of India, Australis, and China, 41! ; City„7-- Ditto, new, 661 Consolidated Bank, lim., 101 f English, Scotch, and Australian Chartered, 232 European Bank, lim., 31 3 Hindustan, Chink, and Japan (Lim.), 33 Imperial Ottoman, 171 Land Illortgage Bank of India, lira., 4 London and Brazilian 551 1 London, Buenos Ayres, and River Plate, Ditto, new, 21 London chartered Bank of Australia, 27 62 Oriental Bank Corporation, 61 Scinde, Punjaub, and Delhi (lim.\ Union of London, 42 11 2 MISCELLANEOUS. Commercial Union (Insurance), 82 Hudson's Bay, 171 International Financial Society, lim., Italian irrigation (Canal Cavour), Ditto, 6 per cent. Bonds, rodent. 1870, issued 90, 831 Joint •stock Discount, 6; London Finanzial Association, I'm., 201 74 61 London Central Omnibus Company, 21 1 National Discount Company, lim., 101 t t National Steam Navigation, lim., li Peninsula and Oriental Steam, 791 81 Ditto, new, 48 Thames and Mersey Marine (Insurance), Um., 7} Universal Marine (lim.) insurance, 51 The Price of Gold. The quotation of gold at Paris is about 4 per mine pm., and the short exchange on London is 25.271 per £1 sterling. On comparing these rates with the English Mint price of £3 17s. 100. per ounce for standard gold, it appears that gold is at about the same price in London and Paris. By advices fromilamburg the price of gold is 423 i per mark and the short exchange on London is 13.1 i per £1 sterling. Standard gold at the English Mint prioe is, therefore, about the same price in London and Hamburg. The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 1661 to 1671 per cent., and the premium on oldtheisimarotrittas:oinpoefrgeociltdt.froAmt the United n rkl t t e e a s there is Kprolit POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. STEALING VALUABLE SHAWLS.•—Ann Carey and Mar garet Connor were charged with stealing five French shawls of the value of £35 from the shop of Mr, Edgley, 88, Oxford- street, shawl warehousemen, &c, Thomas Grant, an assistant to the prosecutor, deposed that on the previous evening the two prisoners entered the shop, and Carey said she wanted to look at some dark mantles, lie took them then upstairs and showed them several, but none would suit, Connor then called him to the other end of the room, and while he was speak ing to her he saw through a glass Carey put fire shawls from off the counter in the show room under hor shawl, He afterwards asked one of his fellow assistants whether he had removed any shawls, and at that moment Carey dropped the shawls at her feet. On taxing the prisoners with steal ing the shawls, they said "it was a mistake," and that he must have knocked them down. In answer to Mr. Yardley, the witness said the prisoners on entering the shop said they wanted a cheap mantle. Nathan Leech, 32 A, proved taking the prisoners into custody, and said he found the shawls lying at the feet of Carey. He wished for a remand that he might make in quiries respecting them. Mr. Yardley remanded the prisoners for a woelr. "RESPECTABLE PERSONS" COMMITTED FOR ATTEMPT ING TO PICK POCKETS.—John Logic, Maria Logic), John Blanc, and James Webb were charged with attempting to pick pockets in Oxford•street. Sergeant White, 16 D, and King, 76 D, proved seeing the prisoners in Oxford-street the previous afternoon attempt ing to pick the pockets of ladies looking in the windows of Messrs. Grant and Gask, silk mercers, and other trades men in Oxford -street. On taking the prisoners into cus tody the man Logic exclaimed, " It is a piece of insolence to stop respectable persons like us in the street." Blanc said all he had done was to walk with his hands in his own pockets. Logic (the man) said that at the time the officer saw him outside Grant and Gask's he was trying to get rid of his wife (Marie Logic), as ho was going to present a piece of music to a young lady who his wife was rather jealous of. He could assure his worship it all arose from a misunder standing on the part of the officers. Watts, 184 N, said he had known the Logies for 10 years as companions of thieves. They were both convicted of a robbery at the Agricultural Hall in 1862, and committed for three mouths each, and he believed the man had then been convicted before. Sergeant White said he believed Blanc had been con victed for a robbery at the Pantheon Bazaar. Barns, the gaoler, said Webb had been before at the court and he believed for picking pockets. Mr. Yardley said it was clear the prisoners had gone to Oxford-street for the purpose of picking pockets, and com mitted them for three months each. THE SCN. LONDON, FRIDAY EVEAING, JANUARY 15, 1864. W. M, Thackeray and Robert Bell ; Or, the Stolen Watch and the Spectacled Spirit. An anecdote related by M. Louis Blanc in a letter to Le Temps, a letter full of the most generous feeling, and of fine and penetrating criticism of the genius of our great departed humourist, whose friendship he (M. Louis Blanc) had enjoyed :—" A few years ago the London papers an nounced that a Frenchman, whose name I need not give you, was going to deliver in English what is here called a lecture. Foremost among those who were moved by a feeling of delicate kindness and hospitable curiosity to en courage the lecturer with their presence was Thackeray. When the lecture was ON er the manager of the Literary Institution where it was delivered, for some reason or other, recommended the company to take care of their pockets in the crowd at the doors—a hint which was not particularly to the taste of a highly respectable and even distinguished audience. Some even protested, and none more warmly than an unknown person, very well dressed, sitting next to Mr. Robert Bell. Not content with speak ing, this unknown person gesticulated in a singularly animated manner. ' Isn't such a suggestion indecent, sir ; insulting ?' said he to Mr. Bell; ' What does he take us for ?' &c. After giving vent to his indignation in this way for some moments the susceptible stranger disap peared, and when Mr. Robert Bell, who wanted to know how long the lecture had lasted, put his hand to his watch-pocket, behold I his watch had disappeared like wise. Thackeray, to whom his excellent friend men tioned the mishap, invited Robert Bell to dinner a day or two after. When the day came, Robert Bell took his seat at his friend's table,round which a joyous company of wits were gathered, and soon found himself encircled by a rattling fire of banter about an article of his which had just appeared in the Cornhill Magazine, then conducted by Thackeray; an article remarkable in all respects, and which had attracted universal notice, as a faithful, serious, and philosophical account of some effects of Spiritism, which the author had witnessed at a seance given by Mr. Home. Mr. Robert Bell is an admirable causcur ; his talk is a happy mixture of an Englishman's good sense and an Irishman's verve. So his questioners found their match in brilliant fence. Next day a mysterious messenger arrived at Mr, Robert Bell's, and handed to him, without saying who had sent it, a box containing a note, worded as nearly as I re collect, as follows The Spirits present their compliments to Mr Robert Bell,and as a mark of their gratitude to him, they have the honour to return him the watch that was stolen from him," And a watch it really was that the box, contained, but a watch far finer and richer than the one which had disappeared, Mr, Robert Bell thought at once of Thackeray, and wrote to him without further explana tion—' I don't know if it is you, but it is very like you.' Thackeray, in reply, sent a caricature portrait of him self, drawn by his own hand, and representing a winged Spirit in a flowing robe, and spectacles on nose, Thackeray had in early life taken to painting, and perhaps if he had pursued his first vocation, he . might have come in time to handle the brush as well as he afterwards handled the pen. At any rate, the drawing in question, as I can bear witness, was one to bring tears into your eyes for laughing. It was accompanied by a note as follows : The Spirit Gabriel presents its compliments to Mr. Robert Bell, and takes the liberty to communicate to him the por trait of the person who stood the watch.' Now, is not this bit of a story charming? What grace! what delicacy what humour in this inspiration of a friend who, to punish his friend for having done the Spirits the honour to speak of them, sends him with a smile a magnificent present I Honourable to Thackeray, this note is equally so to Robert Bell, who could inspire such feelings in such a man. And this is why I feel a double pleasure in relating it." THE GREAT EASTERN AND THE GIBRALTAR ; ALIAS SUMTER, IN TIIE AUCTION-ROOM.—An enormous crowd thronged the Liverpool Cotton Sales Room, yesterday, to witness the sale of the Groat Eastern by auction, by Messrs. Cunard, Wilson, and Co. Mr. Cunard, the auc tioneer, after reading a description of the vessel and the usual conditions of sale, said that the bids must not be less than £l,OOO. Oaly one bid, however, was made by a Mr. Robinson, the amount of his bid being £50,000, and the auctioneer then announced that the reserved bid of the owners was £130,000, and after vain efforts to increase the offers, the vessel was withdrawn to the surprise of all pre sent, rumours as to various probable purchasers, including the Lottery Company, having been for some time current on 'Change. The Gibraltar, formerly so notorious as the Con federate cruiser Samter, was then put up and finally pur chased for £4,500 by a Mr. Patterson. SMOKELESS COAL (3,000 to 4,000 tons monthly) is being shipped from Cardiff in Wales to Nassau and con tiguous ports for the use of blockade runners, to whom smoke is an abomination, as pointing out their whereabouts at sea. TUE EMPEROR OF TUE FRENCH did not say he had "the conviction," but simply " j'ai la confiance," that peace can be preserved, which is not precisely equivalent in meaning. DISGRACEFUL PROCEEDINGS AT A FUNERAL AT PI:RM.—In Monday's Itlfrcury we mentioned that the body of Peter M'Culloch, tailor, Scone, had been found in the Tay. The body was taken to Scone, where it was interred on Tuesday. There is good reason to suppose that M'Culloch committed suicide; and it seems to be the general opinion amongst the antiquated inhabitants of Scone that the body of a suicide should not be allowed to enter the churchyard by the gate, bat ought to be lifted over the wall. The reason for this is sup posed to be that, in the event of the body being allowed to pass through the gate, the first bride 14 kirked " thereafter will commit suicide within a very short period after her marriage, and that the first child carried to church to be christened will commit suicide lieforo it reached the age of eight years. As the hour for the funeral approached a bevy of the gudewives of Scene, num bering about forty, took up their position on the road lead ing to the graveyard, and as the humble cortdge drew near they endeavoured, first by persuasion and at last by threats, to prevent the coffin from being carried through the gate way. The undertaker expostulated with the angry dames, and at length, after a deal of wrangling and unseemly conduct, the remains were allowed to pass on. Who will say that the days of superstition are gone !—Caledonian Mercury. PLYMOUTH, Thursday.—The East India and Lon don Shipping Company's screw steamship Indiana, Captain Smyth, bound to the Cape of Good Hope, Madras, and Calcutta, was off this port at seven in the morning, all well; wind south •east, a smart breeze. She left Gravesend at 3 p.m., on Monday last, and at dark anchored off the Nore Light ship, where she remained until Tuesday, at 8 a.m. Thick foggy weather was experienced in the Channel, which obliged her often to go at half speed. All last night she lay to off this port. The Indiana has a full general cargo and 70 passengers, including, for the Cape—Commander H. G. Simpson, R.N., Captain Brown, 11th Foot, Mr. Herbert, aid Mr. Leckie; for Madras—Dr. Ramsbottom, Mr. Mober ley, Mr. Cramp, Dr. Bryson, Lieutenant Giffard, Dr. Kennedy, and Lieutenant Wolsely ; and for Calcutta—Mr, Ciutterback, Dr. M'Kinnon, Miss Blanchard, Captain East, Mr. Neal, Lieut. Keyser, Mr. Wright, Ensign Bu chanan, Lieut. W. Hailes, Mr. Bourke, and Lieut. Wing field. The ship White Adder, belonging to Messrs. R. Willis and Co., of Lsadenhall-street, from London for Shanghai, passed down Channel this morning. Captain Glanville and the crew (five in all) of the schooner Thomas Protheroe, of Fowey, were landed here this evening by a pilot cutter. They state that at 1 o'clock this morning, wind E by S, the schooner was 15 miles SW of Portland on the port tack, reaching off the land, when the bark Augusta, Capt. P. Raczc.urfin, with timber from Christiansand, ran into her right amidships. The schooner foundered in five minutes. The bark, with the loss of jibboom and spritsail yard, has proceeded for Alicante. Captain Glanville and crew have been sent home by the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society. DENSE FOG AT LIVERPOOL.—A very dense fog enveloped the estuary of the Mersey as well as Liver pool and its environs on Wednesday night and during the early portion of yesterday. The fog was so dense as seriously to impede the navigation of the river. The darkness caused by the fog was so great as to prevent the arrival of seagoing steamers, none of which arrived in course of Wednesday. The Canadian mail steamer Jura only arrived in port yes terday morning, having been detained off the bar fully 17 hours. The Isle of Man steamer Tynwald was 29 hours on the passage to Liverpool, the time usually occu pied being six hours. The passengers for Now York by the Liverpool, New York, and Philadelphia steamer City of New York, to sail on Wednesday, were unable to proceed on board the tender. Up to yesterday afternoon the City of New York was unable to proceed to sea, it being impossible to see half the length of the vessel. The Nova Scotian, for Portland, with the Canadian mails, was also detained. On Wednesday most of the ferry traffic across the Mersey was suspended, except that by Woodside. The Seacombe steamer, with passengers on board, had to come to an anchor, and the passengers wore detained on board all night. Fortunately, so far as is known,:no serious casualty took place. THE Loss OF LIFE ON THE EAST COAST.—The fund which is being raised for the relief of widows and orphans of the poor men who perished during the great gale of last month. when fishing on board Great Yar mouth smacks, is steadily increasing. Yesterday the Mayor of Great Yartuourt h (Mr. R. Steward) received the following letter, which affords another gratifying proof of the solici tude entertained by her Majesty for the welfare of all classes of her subjects :—" Osborne, Jan. 11. Sir,—The Queen has seen with feelings of sincere sympathy the ac- counts which have appeared in the newspapers of the dis tress and sufferings of those poor widows and orphans whose husbands and fathers have perished in the late gales. Her Majesty has directed mo to forward you the enclosed check for £lOO to be added to the sum already collected for their relief. The Queen would be glad that these poor widows and orphans should bo made aware of her Majesty's sym pathy also with them in their sorrows, which money cannot alleviate. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient hum ble servant, C. B. PHIPPS,—The Mayor of Great Yar mouth." At six o'clock yesterday morning, at Paris, the thermometer of M: Chevallier stood at 2 6-10ths below zero Centigrade (27 1-3(1 Fahrenheit) ; at noon, 2 6-10ths above C. (361 F.) !NA at three o'clock, 4 above C. (30 1-sth F.) 13.14. 19.16.4 THAMES. A DESTRUCTIVE GREEK.—Joseph Pietro, a Greek seaman, was brought before Mr. Woolrych, charged with breaking a large pane of plate glass in the window of the Rose and Crown public•house, in Ratcliffe-highway, last night. It appeared from the evidence of Peter Schut, a young man, the barman and waiter at the Rose and Crown, that the prisoner was passing, in and cut of the house, for two hours, last night, He was intoxicated and very noisy, and was repeatedly requested to desist and go home to his boarding house. He took a stone from the inside of his dress and threatened the barman, and struck a woman. At last he was ejected from the house, and immediately broke a large pane of plate glees valued at £2. The land. lord of the house said he was not insured. Mr. Woolrych ordered the prisoner to pay a fine of £3 and £2, the value of the glass, and, in default, six weeks' imprisonment. A few minutes afterwards the magistrate said he had reconsidered the matter. He would suspend his judgment until this evening. He directed Turner, 32 H, who had charge of the case, to lo6k after the woman who had been struck by the prisoner. He also directed Roche, the gaoler, to keep the prisoner in custody until the evening. The magistrate translated the whole of the evidence to the prisoner in the Italian language with the greatest fluency, and the prisoner replied to him in the same language. Mr. Woolrych also delivered his judgment first in English and then in Italian. We believe this is the last day Mr. Wool rych will preside in this court, to which he was appointed in March, 1851. A great proportion of the sailors and witnesses who resort to this court are foreigners, and the absence of Mr. Woolrych, who is conversant with 10 different languages, will be much felt. He is the most use ful and able magistrate that ever presided in the Thames Police Court. Mr. John Paget, of the Norfolk Circuit and Liverpool Sessions, who was called to the bar in 1838, and who has been appointed to succeed Mr. Woolrych, was on the bench this day. It is understood that he will officiate as a "ma gistrate of the police courts of the metropolis" at this court on Monday next. The appointment has given much satis faction. Mr. Paget has had erensive practice in criminal matters. The Liverpool business is similar to that which is the staple of this court. Another vacancy has occurred in the magisterial bench by the election of Mr. Corrie, magistrate of the Bow-street Police Court, to the office of City Reniembrancer yesterday. MARKETS—This Day. MARK-LANE. The arrivals of kome•grown wheat fresh up to this morning's market were very moderate, There was no activity in the demand for any quality, yet prises were supported, The show of samples of foreign wheat on the stands was by no means extensive. The trade for all descriptions ruled inactive; nevertheless, importer° were firm, and late prices were supported. Floating cargoes of grain were in moderate request at late rated. With barley the market was moderately supplied. Good and fine malting qualities ruled firm at extreme rates ; other wise the trade was dull on former terms :—. Malt was in fair average request, at late rates. The supply of oats on sale was tolerably large. For good and fine corn, the tradi ruled steady, at full prices; but heated parcels were on dull inquiry. Beans and peas met a steady :ale, and prices ware sup. ported. Barrel flour, of which there was an increased supply on offer, sold steadily, at full currencies; other descriptions ruled steady in price. ARRIVALS THIS WEEK. Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flout. Enfaish 630 I NO 1 3170 I 270 I 740 Irish Foreign...— 9,150 8,800 •-- 17,710 2510 eke 3250 brie NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL. The supply of meat on sale at these markets is only mo derate. The trade is somewhat firmer than on Monday at our quotations. Per 81b, by the carcase. sited Inferior beef .. 3 2 3 4 Middling do. .. 3 6 3 10 Frime large do. 4 0 4 2 Do. small do. .. 4 2 4 4 Large pork 3 4 4 2 Inferior mutton. 3 8 4 0 sdad Middlingmutton 4 2 4 4 Prime do .. 4 6 4 8 Veal Small pork ~ 4 4 4 6 Lamb .... 0 0 0 0 BOROUGH HOP. Our market continues to be but moderately supplied with English and foreign hops. For all qualities the trade rules firm, and the late advance in the quotations is well supported. Mid and East Karats £5 5s to £9 10s per cwt. Weald of Dents 5 Os to 6 15s „ Sussex Bavarian 5 5s to 8 8s „ Belgian American COLONIAL. TEA.—A moderate amount of business has been done in common congou at 12d per lb. SUGAR.—OnIy a limited number of transactions hare been reported in West India at barely previous quotations. In the refined market dried goods are without charge in value. COFFEE,—The dealings have been to an average extent, and both Plantation and Native Ceylon have maintained former prices, IticE,—The operations have boon on a limited scale, without any material alteration to notice, TALLOW—Business has been very dull, and the few bargains entered into have led to a slight reduction on prices.P.Y.C. P very, 41s 6cl, and last 3 months, 458 per cwt. - WHY THE EMPRESS ASSURED HER LIFE.— It is quite true, as of late stated in the newspapers, that her Imperial Majesty has recently assured her life iu live English (aces for £BO,OOO, involving an annual charge in premiums of about £2,500; but the meritorious purpose of the act has yet to be stated. It is well known that tho Empress was the foundress, and is, at this hour, the sole supporter of the following noble charitable insti tutions :—" Maison Eugenio Napoleon," "Prets do l'En lance au Travail," (better known as" Socit3te du Prince Imperial,") and the " Caisse d o S eeours pour l'Arnage do Terre et de Mer." The Empress is very naturally appre; hensive I hat these good works may materially suffer when• ever death—that black camel, as the Arabs finely put it, which kneels at every man's gate —may call her hence, and, therefore, she has thus sought, through the in strumentality of life assurance, to permanently endow them. The Empress has named the Prince Imperial as her almoner, and at her demise it would become his sacred duty to administer the large fund thus created, and to take these merciful bodies under his fostering care. It it is said that the Empress has also effected assurances for the same good end with several Belgian and German offices. On account of the greater risk to which the life of the Empress is reckoned to be exposed as compared with with ordinary mortals—witness, for instance, the late horiible plot to assassinate the Emperor--increased rates of premium h av e been charged by the contracting ojicc 1 — The ZonaP Mirror, 133} 3 107 8 1071 G 50j 106 i 1 } 7; 128 i P 981 1031 Business done STATE OF TRADE. BRADFORD, lan. 1 4.—There is very little wool , changing hands to-day. Though the price of cotto❑ is drooping, the quotations for wool remain exceed ingly firm, with a slight tendency upward. There is a steady business doing in worsted yarns. Prices are rather easier. Orders are running out ; but there is a considerable new business doing for the home trade, a great number of small orders being placed by merchants. The foreign merchants are doing little or nothing, the Holstein question being still an obstacle to business. In pieces there is a good business doing at very firm prices. The home houses are doing an active business in Winceys. There is a large business doing fur America, both in Italian cloths and coburgs. The fancy makers are so busy that they decline many orders offered. LEICESTER, 13th.—The hosiery trade continues quiet, and there has not been much doing in any department during the week. Business, however, is always dull at this time of the year. There are no stocks of any kinds of goods on hand. The wool market is quiet, but high prices are yet quoted, with no aupearance of a decline. Yarns maintain very high rates, and spinners are restricting their productions to the actual demand. NOTTINGHAM, 13th.—The lace trade continues dull, and there has not been much doing during the past few days in cotton goods. There are a few orders in the market for plain stiff nets, as also for Mechlin quilliugs. The fancy trade remains quiet. There is rather more doing in black siik laces and edging, and more is expected to be done in those articles shortly. The demand for silk Mechlins and silk quilliugs is without change. Stocks of both silk and cotton goods are very low. In hosiery there is not much alteration. A fair amount of business has been done in some branches, and busi ness generally is healthy. Yarns are firm, and have an upward tendency. Murder and Suicide at Ipswich. Yesterday morning a jobbing shoemaker, named Jamea Gooding, who lived in a narrow back street, called Albert-street, in the parish of St. Clement, Ipswich —one of the poorest parts of the town— murdered one of his children and then cut his own throat. It appears that at about half-past eight in the morning Gooding's next door neighbour, named Norfolk, was alarmed by hearing Gooding's wife scream out, and on running to his door she cried out to him, "For God's sake, Mr. Norfolk, come in—my husband has killed himself and the dear child." Norfolk ran up-stairs, and found the bodies of Gooding and his little daugh ter Elizabeth, about six years of age, lying on the floor weltering i❑ their blood, which flowed from wounds in the throat of each. Although scarcely more than a minute could have elapsed since the commission of the act, both father and daughter appeared dead, and Mr. W. Adam, jun., surgeon, who was almost immediately on the spot, found life to be quite extinct. At the knee of the father lay a shoemaker's knife, covered with blood, and evidently the instrument which had been used. The unhappy father appears to have first cut the throat of his child, who was completely a cripple, having the use of neither arms nor legs, and was besides imbecile and unable to speak, and then to have inflicted a frightful gash in his own, com mencing under the left ear and extending across the throat, severing all the muscles down to the ver- telm to, An inquest was held upon the bodies in the afternoon by Mr. S. B. Jackaman, the coroner for the borough, at which evidence was given which went to show that the deceased man bad for years been in an indifferent state of health, and that since September last year, when he lost three chil dren in one week of diphtheria, he has been in a desponding state of mind, He was a remarkably well-informed man for his position in life, and up to that time he had been a very sober man, but latterly had indulged a good deal in drink ; he always, however, spoke of the deceased child in terms of the greatest affection, and said he only lived for her. One of the witnesses said when Gooding gave way to drink he was unable to eat, and that during the last fortnight he had eaten next to nothing. The jury thought it desirable that the widow of the deceased should be examined, and the inquiry was adjourned till to-day in order that the poor woman might have time to become somewhat composed, she being at present in so distracted a state that it would be impossible to examine her. Extraordinary Affair at Warwick. At Warwick, on Saturday, Alice Owen made an affidavit tending to establish the innocence of George Cooke, a carver and gilder, who was in dicted at the Warwick summer assizes on a charge of highway robbery with violence, found guilty, and sentenced to five years' penal servitude. Ac cording to her evidence the young man was in bed at the time the robbery was alleged to have been committed, and she herself confesses that the money, for the stealing of which he was convicted, was in fact never stolen at all, for the prosecutor had given it to her some time before to keep safe for him. The following is a summary of the evi dence on which Cooke was convicted :—The pro secutor stated that he and the prisoner had been drinking together in several public-houses in Warwick, and that he himself got drunk. About one o'clock in the morning they started from where they had been drinking f or h om e, the prisoner being at the time quite sober. While they were walking along, the prisoner suddenly turned upon him, and struck him a severe blow upon the head with something hard like a stone. From the effects of that blow he was partially stunned, and fell upon the pavement. The prisoner then rifled his pockets, and, having possessed himself of the money, ran away. Police Constable Waters, who was on duty near the spot where the assault and robbery were said to have been committed, proved with blood flowing from a upon the ground, finding the prosecutor lyingwound at the back of bead. On being asked what h e was d o i ng there, he answered, " Cooke is a rog ue , f or h e h as ro bbed me and run away," or words very much to that effect. Cooke was subsequently apprehended upon the charge. When taken into custody four half crowns and a few coppers we re f oun d i n hi s posses sion.—Mr. Tibbits, for the defendant, attempted to show that the policeman first suggested the name of Cooke to the prosecutor when ho found him lying upon the ground, and that then, and not before, he adopted the notion that Cooke was the person who had robbed and beaten him. That, shtoawteedvert,hali:awitheerns flatly tyro lydenied.—Sergeaut Webb n men confronted each other at the station-house, prosecutor pointed to Cooke and said, " That man has robbed me," upon which Cooke called him all sorts of names, and said that he knew nothing about his money. It was shown by the prisoner's mother that he had money in his pocket before he left home to drink with the prosecutor. Nary Ann R. ndow w h en th e policeman awline deposed that she was up at her bedroom window Walters found the prosecutor upon the pavement. The policeman asked him what he did there with his pocket turned inside out. Green behaved like a man stupefied with drink. , The officer then said, " What have you done with Cooke P Prosecutor replied ho policeman said, ~icdnni note along;kw we will go and find Alice Owen, Cook e both came to at the time of the offence, was livin g in War w ick, and dno, upon which the question the pro secutors haverse that Greenand the house whdre she was in an int ox i ca t e d condi tion. Cooke went to be d, but Grua f although every thing was done to pers uade him late theon the prisoner night i him, refused to follow his companion, and insisted upon going out into the s treet again. Before doing so, however, he emptied his pockets of all the money they contained, and handed it to her to keep fi . a . fe for him, a trust he had often exercised when visiting her before. He sub sequently loft the house, an . d sjin heard no more about him, but Cooke remained in bed all night. In answer to the Magistrate, why she has not made her stateMOit before, lie replied and it that ea r ly nex t morning she left Warwick , Was not until recently she heard dila) undcaerled sentence which had been passed upon Colo'. .A . t preaent th e f rien d s of the young man are engag" tuiP"cur"lg signa tures td a dncument to be forwaro,;(l to Sir George Gray. ---- __. DEATH OF TILE VEN. AltethilriMl°N BE N.-- The death is announefd of th e Yen. Thoaas Bevan, archdeacon of St. David's, in his 64th year. For u l4 'l 9 'than St. David's Coll ege , L am p e ter fir, 30 years the ven. archdeacon ha d been recto r o f St. P e te a St. n d D h a e vi b d a ,s s , also ,s‘,ith f for emparne.: man}' years in the gift of ' cathedral church of th a t dio cese, £l7O, population 4,85 0 ) years held the archdeacoury of ccse, value about £5O. resigned his living from ill health, stall of Mydrim, in the He health, atter 30 years of unw e aried labour and grea t minis terial usefulness, iu Nev., effective pre ac h er ; and, 1863 ' He was a very able and tho ugh Evangelical in his views, ha was moderato and unOsuuling in his enunciation of them. A Most Sensible Suggestion. In regard to the National Shakespeare Committee, if Mr. Charles Dickens (who is one of the Vice- Presidents) were to come prominently forward and put himself at the head of this movement, the details might safely be left to Messrs. Marston, Bell, Tom lins, Godwin, and other very competent gentlemen upon the acting committee. These men are not likely, if they undertake to do the work themselves, to be guilty of such blunders as Mr. Dixon's draft report. But this, if the credit of the movement is to be saved, must be done at once. Efficiency must come to the front rank, and incfficiency must fall back some time before the expiration of the present month, or the public will lose all faith in the movement. It is idle to suppose that the Prince of Wales will allow his name to be' connected with the matter until it has assumed a far better position than it oc cupies at present. TherA is something ominous in that silence which the Times has hitherto pre served towards the business, which betokens any thing but good ; and Punch (usually a very fair barometer of the temper, both of the times and the Times) has opened fire this week with an exceed ingly humorous and—we fear—too close parody, of the late meetings of the committee. It is impossible to avoid recognising the identity of Messrs. Chick, D'Hammy, Spluff, and Wickins. And the worst of the matter is that (thanks to the mismanagement of its half-elected leaders) the National Shake spearean Committee is in anything but a state to encounter either criticism or ridicule. —From the new number of " Vie Queen," just published. Liverpool Cotton Market—This Day. Market quiet. Sales, about 2,000 or 3,000 bales, Weekly Report—Sales, 29,640-5,040 on spec, 2,920 for export—actual export, 8,140. Quota tions—Middling Orleans, 28 —Mobile, 271—Upland, 274—estimated fair Egyptian, 28—Surats, 14 25-1. Week's import, 17,203. Stock, 250,360, The half-yearly report of the National Discount Company, to be presented on the 20th inst., shows a profit of £35,087, out of which £20,000 is recom mended to be applied to a dividend of 10 per cent., leaving £15,087 to be carried to reserve, which will thus be raised to £98,499. At the same time the directors propose that the nominal capital of the company should be increased from £2,000,000 to £3,000,000 by an issue of 40,000 new shares, to be offered at £5 premium, with the view that the £200,000 that could thus be realised should be applied to raise the reserve fund to £3oo,ooo—a measure suggested by the experience that in pro portion to the growing strength of the reserve has been the increase of the confidence reposed in the establishment. The half-yearly report of the Imperial Bank, to be submitted on Monday next, states the available balance to be £9,613, of which £5,000 is recom mended to be appropriated to a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, and £3,000 to a reserve, leaving £1,613 to be carried forward. The mail from Guayaquil has brought a remit tance of £7lO 2s. 3d. on account of the dividends on the debt of Ecuador. A Naples letter says :—" Travellers who formerly arrived in this city by railway or by sea may re• member the manner in which they were assailed by a swarm of porters who seized their trunks and all that they had, and imposed on them an arbi- trary charge. Since the Ist of January those men have been divided into several companies, each having a chief, who is responsible for the conduct of those under him. They all wear a sort of uni form, and act on a tariff of prices carefully drawn up. CAT-TALK WITH LITTLE CHILDREN.—" Come out upon the roof with me," the cat bad said to Rudy distinctly and intelligibly; for when one is a young child, and can scarcely speak, fowls and ducks, cats and dogs, are almost as easily understood as the language that fathers and mothers use. One must be very little indeed then, however; it is the time when grandpapa's stick neighs and becomes a horse, with head, legs, and tail. Soiue children retain their infantine thoughts longer than others, and of these it is said that they are very backward, exceedingly stupid children—people say so much. " Come out upon the roof with me, little Rudy," was ono of the first things the cat said, and Rudy under stood him. "It is all nonsense co fancy ono must fall down ; you won't fall unless you are afraid. Come I set one of your paws here, the other there, and take care of yourself with the rest of your paws I Keep a sharp look out, and be active in your limbs. If there be a hole, spring uver it, and keep a firm footing as I do."—Hans Christian Andersen's Ice .Maiden. THE ENGAGEMENT OF MR. AND MRS. CIIARLES MATHEWS at the St. Tames's is to last up to Easter. THE PANTOMIME AT DRURY-LANE is said to have cost £B,OOO. All this money is lavished upon canvas, and paint, and tinsel, which in a few weeks will become a heap of rubbish. Magnificence in theatrical matters can scarcely be carried beyond the point it has now reached. LICENSED VICTUALLERS' BALL.—The annual ball in aid of the funds of the Liceosed Victuallers' Asylum, Old Kent-road. was held yesterday evening at St. James's Hall, Mr. Donald having given up the whole of his spacious premises for the accommodation of the visi tors. St. James's Hall proper, making, with its peculiar style of illumination, perhaps the finest dancing-ealoon in Europe, was soon full, and the company began rapidly to overflow into the other two minor halls, the restaurant, and all the private rooms in the establishment. There were upwards of 2,000 per sons present, and the dancing to the excellent music of Adams' band of 40 performers was kept up to an early hour this morning. Light refreshments were served out in abun dance during the evening, and the seniors amongst the visitors were not slow in availing themselves of the more potent beverages with which Mr. Donald's cellars arc so amply stored. IMPLACABLE !—When Mr. Aretmus Ward, jour neying over the plains to California, was seized and plun dered by predatory Indians, the Sachem who stripped him made a speeeh, and said he hoped to meet him in the happy hunting-grounds. " If he du," adds Mr. Ward, in his account of the transaction, " there will be a fite." A CHASE AFTER THE WRONG SHIP.—An exciting chase took place a iew days since off the port of Brest, in consequence of the commander of the Federal corvette Kerseage mistaking the French war steamer Ren audin for the Confederate corvette Florida. The Kerseage was cruising off Ushant, watching for the Florida, having received orders to attack the Confederate steamer on her quitting Brest. The Renaudin, which resembles the Florida, was going out to sea, and was passing Iroise, when the captain of the Kerseage gave chase. The commander of the French ship having made Himself known, the cap tain of the Kerseage hastened to apologise. This incident, it appears, has attracted the attention of the French naval authorities, and proved to them that the captain of the American steamer may involuntarily at tack his adversary in French waters, of which he is not well acquainted with the boundaries. The port admiral at Brest has consequently given orders that the steamship of the-line Wagram shall watch the movements of the two (+hips, and prevent them from engaging in French waters. The Florida, moreover, is not yet ready for sea. She made a trial trip on the 6th inst., and steamed as far as Conquet. The trial was most satisfactory, and the log gave a speed of 13 knots an hour even within the poulet. The Confederate corvette Rappahannock is still in the port of Calais under repairs. LIFEBOAT EIPENSES.—During the year which has just closed the National Lifeboat Institution has incurred the following expenses on either additional new lifeboat stations, or the replacing of old boats, transporting carriages, and boat-houses by new ones—viz., Berwick-on- Tweed, £340, Filey £267, Birdlington £340, Blakeney £196, Thorpness £2OO, Hastings £196, Eastborne £265, Teignmouth £574, Sennen £340, Bade 292, Pembrey £203, Cardigan £l9B, Porthdinllaen £273, Lythan £513, Fleet wood £l6l, and Arklow £204. The society has also expended inspection of the repairs, stores, painting , alterations and of its numerous lifeboats, boat-houses, and transporting car riages, and four spare lifeboats and carriages, £6,815 14s. ld. ; and £2,441 9s. ld. for coxswains' salaries, and exercising the crews of its lifeboats, making altogether a total of £13,819 3s. 2d. The National Lifeboat Institution has also granted during the same period £1,351 68. 4d. as rewards for saving by its lifeboats and other means, 714 persons from a large number of shipwrecks on our coasts. A most satisfactory result, and clearly showing how much can ho accomplished by the well directed efforts which the Institution has brought to bear on this humane work. The Society has now 125 lifeboats under its management. Each of these establishments requires about £5O a year to keep it in an effective state. Again, the cost of a complete lifeboat station is about £5OO, including the expense of the lifeboat and the equipment, transporting carriage, and boat-Inuse. The operations of the Lifeboat Institution now extend all over the coasts of the British Isles. To maintain and per petuate these operations is a matter of earnest and constant solicitude to the committee. They have incurred a great responbibility, but they do not shrink from it, and are de • termined, with the continued sympathy and liberality of the British public, to leave no effort untried that can in any way tend to lessen the fearful annual loss of life from ship wrecks on our atom. SECOND► EDITION. SUN OFFICE, HALF-PAST 4 O'CLOCK. TURKEY. MARSEILLES, Jan. 14.—Accounts have been re ceived from Constantinople to the 7th. Great agitation prevails et Antioch. The plague is said to have broken out in Persia. The Russian Govern ment is said to be manoeuvring in order to take the trade from Trebisond and bring it to Poti. Civil war has recommenced at Herat. The inhabitants have revolted against the son of Dust Mohammed. The populations of Affghanistan are discontented, and have applied to the Persians for assistance. The Shah is assembling an army of 50,000 men, which he intends to scud to the frontier of the Khorassan. FEDERAL AGE NTS IN IRELAND, Mr. Sergeant Howley, in opening the quarter sessions for Cashel recently, said—" I deeply regret to learn that throughout the country, and even in the neighbourhood of the present place, attempts have been made, and to a certain extent successfully, to entrap the young, the impulsive, and the unwary, and to involve them in the meshes of illegal associations. The origin of these associations is folly, or, worse, it has been imported from a country which at this moment presents the most lamentable instances of the horrors ever attendant on civil war. Devastation, blood shed, and massacre are its concomitant characteristics. In the American strife we have held up to us a picture of its sad and awful results, and it should be a warning to the people against rushing upon a similar misfortune. There are people abroad who are engaged in administering un lawful oaths to the people, and the project that they con template is the severance of this empire. No amalgama tion of this kind can succeed, there is too much loyalty in the land to permit of it or to warrant the prevalence of fear that any dangerous consequences should result from it. There are too many allied to property and a love of order to think that a reckless band of conspirators can destroy with impunity the lives of men or the security of property. I am glad to say that the Roman Catholic clergy are alive to the danger that is abroad and have raised their voices against those evil associations." The remarks of Sergeant Rowley are re-echoed in a Clonmel paper. Agents are at work throughout the county of Tipperary, it declares, swearing in and enrolling men as members of a secret society, which it designates as an "American born" organisation. " Not many weeks ago," continues this journal, "a delegate from the parent associa tion arrived in Clonmel from the States; but through the activity of those in authority, and the refusal of several in habitants of the town whom he solicited to join the Fenians, to have anything to do with him or his designs, he had to depart for more congenial quarters." Several Catholic journals, evidently placing reliance in the common rumour that Federal agents are enticing the peasantry away, are be ginning to write strongly on the subject. The Carp Examiner is cne of these--" The Northern Irishman, the Irish-born American," it observes, " does a lawful and legitimate as well as a natural act in enlisting in the Northern army ; but the Irishman who quits Ireland for the purpose of enlisting in the same ranks plays the part of a mercenary, who hires himself at so many dollars to kill and destroy so many innocent and unoffending people, or to conquer, subjugate, and devas tate a country whose citizens are fighting for their indepen dence, and defending their homes and altars. Put this proposition in any light we may, what we state is the fact, and many will call the act of the Irishman who volunteers in such a cause by a harsher and a juster term than we have any desire to employ. But there is a reason for this sympathy—this unnatural sympathy—this discreditable volunteering—as well as this desire to identify Ireland with the Northern States. The Northern States having destroyed liberty in the South, are to give freedom to Ireland I For the sake of restoring national independence to Ireland, Federal America, which has been wasting its blood and treasure in striving to crush those who are battling for their independence, is to declare war against England I Was there ever such a wanton and wilful delusion ? How any man ,vith brains in his head could hit upon such an idea—. or could seriously entertain—we cannot imagine." SPORTING INTELLIGENCE RACING FIXTL FEN: rREs FOIL 1864. [WARY. Birmingham Harrow Chelmsford l7 Lincoln Spring ........ II un,gerford , ...... Nottingham Spring .... 1 Derby Spring Liverpool Shrewsbury Doncaster Spring Warwick .. 1G Durham Northampton 29 Catterick 3O Groston- park EcOnburgh Spring 2 Abeigavenny Thirsi Epsom Spring Newmarket Craven Newmarket First Spring 25 Cheater York Spring Salisbury.. Bath Manchester Harpenden Epsom 2l Ascot .. 7 Hampton l5 Newton Odiham Bibury Stockbridge Chelmsford 2B New Forest Hunt 2B Ne wcastle-on-Tyne 28 Worcest‘r (Summer) Ipswich Newmarket July Carlisle .. 5 Abingdon Liverpool July Stamford l4 Pontefract Nottingham . l9 Winchester Southampton .. 2O Chesterfield Goodwood .. 26 Bright on 2 Brighton Club Lewea 6 Reading Egham Oxford .. 18 Yarmouth SEE Weymouth 1 Warwick September 6 Leicester 8 Doncaster Brecon .. 19 York August 23 Plymouth Derby .... 3O Lichfield Stocktcn Devon and Exeter Richmond Monmouth 22 Manchester Autumn NewmarketFirst October 27 I.IIST. :MB ER. Bank of England Return,•—Last Evening. An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth Victoria, cap. 32, for the week ending on Wednesday, the 13th day of Jan., 1864: ISSUE DEPARTMENT. notes issued .........X27,690,680 Government Debt £11,015,1C0 Other Securities .. 3.634,900 Gold Coin & Bullion 13,040,680 Silver Bullion .... £27,690,680 1 £27,690,680 BANKING D. :PARTMINT. Government Seca- Proprietors' Capi tal £14.553.000 Rest Public Deposits (in cluding Exche quer, Savings' Banks, Commis missioners of Na tional Debt, and Dividend Ac- _ _ _ rities (including Dead Weight A nnuity) £11.077,189 Other Securities 20.6:5,386 Notes - Gold and Silver 067,917 Coin counts)_ 5.264,037 Other Deposits.— 15,411,761 Seven Day and other Bills 632,925 £39,227.077 M.] £32,227,667 LA RSHALL, Chief Cashier. Jan. 14, 1564. SHIPPING—This Day. LONDON, Jan. 15.—Wind this day at noon—North- East; moderate breeze, and cloudy weather. PORTSMOUTH, Jan. 14.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Legion of Honour, from St. John's, N.B. Sailed—Wm. Miles, for Melbourne. CLYDE, Jan. 13.—Wind N.W.—Arrived—Jesaie Camp bell, from Plymouth—Elizabeth, from New York. Sailed —Native, for New York. NEWPORT, Jan. 14.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Empire Queen, from Dublin for Gibraltar. Sailed—lna, for Hong Kong. CARDIFF, Jan. 13.—Wind S.E.—Sailed—S. Carbnry, for Rio Janeiro. ()Y MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Friday Morning. Arrived, Jan. 14—East Anglian (steamer), from Sicily, with wrecked cargo ex Friar Tuck from Foo - chow-Foo. Arrived Jan. 14—Amalia, from Guernsey ; Mystery, from Seville. DiaL, Friday Morning. Passed—Salataga, for Batavia; Ready Rhino, for Alex andria; Saxonia (steamer), for Southampton; Amazon (screw steamer), for Lisbon; Citizen (screw steamer), for Bordeaux ; Plover, for Barbadoes—all from London; Christina Agatha, from Shields, for Malta. BERGER, THE GREAT BILLIARD PLAYER, has now settled in Lyons, where he has become the proprietor of the Cate du XIXe. Siele," which he reopened on Christmas-day. THE LAKE OF THEASTAIENE, on the border of which Hannibal gained one of his greatest victories, is about to be dried up by a company, who purpose to utilise the land. DEATH OF MR. COMMISSIONER EVANS.—The Commissioner, who about four years ago retired from the bench on a retiring pension, di e d yesterday at t he a g e of W. Mr. Evaus was brother of the late Mr. George Evans, M.P., of Portrane, in the county of Dublin, to whose estates he succeeded some ye ars a g o. The deceased gen tleman had been a Corn m issioner for 30 y ears, ever sines the establishment of this Court. of her tile ° ver ;e 0311 uctiC O the wills poli the 'and tile ire ° Der, At I©' ffer° dol l Clio Ile d• ~a y